Other
by Maiokoe
Summary: Every person has a distinct scent about them, or even a few. Dragon Slayers can make out all of them, even the faint other scents that they can't explain. Where do these others come from? How do they become attached?


A/N: Fairy Tail does not belong to me in any way, shape, or form. Thank you~

I was curious about the Dragon Slayers, you know? Like, how could their parents _not_ know that their child (between the ages of 3 and 5) just disappeared? Did they look for them? Did they get separated or something and finally gave up looking?

So, this is what I kinda came up with~

* * *

There was a hint of… _other_ on them all.

Gajeel smelled mostly of iron, a hint of ink (he wonders where _that_ came from), the rocky cliffs of the north, and leather. His other was the barest scent of sand.

Wendy was the sky—something clean and really light—, her shampoo (just a bit of lavender, their noses can't take too much perfume), and a spice like chai. Her other was the lightest scent of apple blossoms.

Sting was sunlight, which was just as hard to describe as the sky but it was warmth, like the smell of fire but without the smoky scent, maybe like a mild cinnamon? There was mountains and the sharpness of the forest. His other was the tall grasses of the plains.

Rogue was something like the wind on a cold night, possibly a winter's night? Just all over something kinda dark, cold, wispy. Also the scent of the Exceeds, given his closeness with his—warm, mildly fishy, something distinctly _cat_ , the sky—and the mountains. His other was pine.

When Natsu questioned Gajeel about his scent, the elder Slayer gave him a look that screamed his refusal. Wendy was more than happy to oblige: Natsu was fire, the smokiness and ash, the river(due to all the fishing), and the oaks in the forest he lived in. When he asked about the _other_ scent, she seemed ashamed that she couldn't make out such a slight smell.

Gajeel assisted in that regard with a, "It's somethin' distinctly you, Salamander. Only ever smelled it a few times before." Natsu asked him to describe it and the pierced man grinned. "Oh, that's easy. Stupidity."

That started the fourth brawl of the day.

When Erza broke them up, he asked again, serious this time. He was curious about the _other_ scents. As far as he knew, Gajeel hadn't lived near the desert (the Iron Dragon Slayer backed this up) and the sand by the ocean wasn't the right kind of smell. Nor did he think that Sting lived on the plains for any extended period of time (the blond was all too happy to inform the pinket that no, he hadn't), so what was his?

How did it get there?

"Eh," Gajeel crossed his arms, eyeing the pink-haired teen. Wendy sat next to him at the table, taking small sniffs every so often, trying hard to decipher his smell. She agreed with what he described Gajeel as, but she hadn't made out the sand like he had. "Ash is right, so is the river and forest. But there's…" he trailed off, breathing in deep, eyes closing. Natsu sat silently and still for once in his life, watching the older Slayer, watching as his brows twitched as he thought. "Yeah, there _is_ somethin' else…" He cocked his head to the side, eyes opening as he gazed across at the younger man. Wendy sniffed once more, trying hard to push all other scents away and focus on her adopted older brother. "Can't rightly…" Gajeel's face screwed up. "You get anything, Kid?"

Wendy pursed his lips. "It smells…" she trailed off only to open her mouth to continue, just to fall quiet. Once more she attempted to answer but snapped her jaw shut. Her bottom lip trembled and both Slayers quickly tried to assure her that it was totally fine if she couldn't describe it. "It's smells cold…" she whispered, eyes brimming with tears. "It smells like loneliness, like when Grandine left me…"

They stared at her. Gajeel raised a brow after a moment, tilting his head back and forth, turning her words around in his mind. "Almost… It smells dark, but yeah, cold. Lonely. Maybe a cave?" Wendy gave a slow nod.

"I smell like a cave?" Natsu was understandably confused.

"No, not a cave, but just…" she huffed out a breath, her bangs floating upwards briefly. "It's really faint and I still can't really catch it, but…" her eyes lit up. "Like a storm. When all the world stops and the sky grows dark and black, maybe even goes green. A really bad storm. Destructive. It leaves that smell that's just—just… off."

Natsu was even more confused. "I smell like a storm?" Gajeel slammed a fist onto his head and he growled back at him. "It's an honest question!"

"You smell like what Wendy said, but that's a warm smell. Yours is cold."

"Huh." Weird. "Do you think Sabertooth could describe it better?" Gajeel scowled at him as Wendy apologized for not being able to describe it clearly. "No, you're great, Wendy! It's just, they've been to other places, maybe they have a better idea?" She conceded it was possible and Natsu tucked the thought away for the next time he happened upon them. "So, where do you think the _other_ smell comes from?"

They had no answer to that.

Weeks later, they went on a job to the south-eastern part of Fiore, further south than Hargeon. Something about some sort of monster they needed to subdue? It was really easy to take down—and he totally could've done it on his own but the Stripper insisted on getting involved—so Erza and Lucy wanted to take some time in the local spa, since their job was completed early. Wendy seconded it and joined them, which left the boys on their own.

They immediately went in separate directions and Happy sticking with the girls(Carla), so, Natsu was on his own. He was just wandering around town, bored out of mind.

But then an _other_ hit his nose and he looked around, taking more care with his surroundings. He took another deep breath, tracking the scent. It came through town not all that long ago and he could still smell it nearby. It was odd, such a feminine scent coming from a man.

Apple blossoms. Did that mean he and Wendy had spent time in the same place?

He moved, eyes taking in the people that passed him through the streets, sniffing every so often to make sure he could still track him. This man, whoever he was, had some connection to where Wendy might have lived at some point. Maybe before she met Grandine? She would have been really young then, so, maybe…

Maybe this man knew where Wendy was born, who her parents were? Who _she_ was? What are the chances? He had time to think about it these last few weeks and he came up with it had something to do with where they lived. He was fire from his magic, and the river and forest from where he lived. Gajeel grew up in the northern cliffs with Metalicana and his iron was from his magic. Wendy was a product of her magic and the lotions she used, along with the spice from the Nirvits she grew up around. Sting and Rogue… lived around mountains? Everything else was a blank.

So, could this man possibly know anything about Wendy? Sure, she didn't remember her own family, but they surely remembered her. Right? Who could forget their own daughter? They must have been worried… Something obviously happened, that they got separated. Maybe by the time they realized what had happened, she had already found Grandine.

They were still her family and it would probably be nice for her to meet them, for them to finally find her. After all these years. It wouldn't happen overnight, he was sure she would be confused on how to feel about them, but maybe if she gave it time, she could have another family that would love her just as much as Grandine and Fairy Tail did.

There.

A man, dark haired, bright eyes. Older, but not like Gramps. Middle-aged. He looked about right to be the father of twel—no. The father of nineteen year old. He kinda looked tired.

Natsu paused, taking him in and breathing deep. Yeah, the same smell. Heavier than Wendy's though. He was tall, a little on the thinner side, and his skin was light.

Natsu was tempted to walk right up, but he held back. Apple trees bloomed all over Fiore, what's to say this man was even from the same area as Wendy? It's possible he thought that _other_ told him something about where they had all been born, of their families, but what if it was just another scent they had picked up, like all the others? The wind blew from all over. A strange scent could be attributed to the wind blowing from the same area and over time it just accumulated.

And he really thought he had been onto something.

" _Dad!_ " The man turned, smiling at a girl who waved frantically, jogging towards him. " _You're finally here! I missed you!"_ The girl—ah, correction, she was probably twenty-three—smiled, throwing her arms around him, hugging him tightly.

Short, dark blue hair and warm brown eyes. She smelled of blossoms and almond. She almost looked like Wendy.

" _Sorry I took so long, Cindy, but I thought…"_ The man shook his head, smiling down at his daughter, who looked up at him with worried eyes. " _Nevermind. Tell me all what's happened."_

" _Daddy…"_ Her lip trembled and Natsu couldn't help but move closer, watching the two curiously. " _It's alright. I know. I think about her all the time."_

" _It was a long time ago. Tell me about you. How did the move go? Any problems?"_ And the two ambled off, leaving Natsu to peer after them silently.

* * *

The girls were giggling over something, Natsu and Gray walking on opposites sides of them, as far away from each other as possible. Lucy had an arm wrapped around Wendy, the younger smiling up brightly at her, the two chatting on.

Natsu saw him. The same man from yesterday. He was staring, mouth working as if to form words.

The man looked away, schooling himself as he shook his head.

He knew something. Or thought he did. Natsu veered towards him. "Natsu?" he waved them off and they shrugged, continuing towards the train station—he grew ill at the mere thought. The man watched him silently, brows furrowed.

"Hey. I'm Natsu." The Fire Dragon Slayer held out a hand. The man eyed him warily. "I'm a Fairy Tail wizard." The man relaxed a bit, taking his hand.

"Terence Matthews. How can I… help you?" Natsu dropped his hand, tilting his head lightly to the side.

"This is gonna sound weird, probably a little insensitive, but…" Lucy would probably hit him for this later. Actually, she'd be impressed he warned the man. "Like sixteen years ago," the man stiffened and Natsu took that as a good sign, "Did you lose a daughter?"

The man's eyes immediately went past him, locking onto his friends. "S-she…?"

"Her name's Wendy. She was adopted after she was found wandering in the woods." Could this really work out? "You smell like her," the man shot him a strange look. "Eh, I know. It's part of my magic," well, it _was_ the truth. "You two share similar scents, but hers is really faint." The man swallowed and Natsu glanced back, seeing Wendy watching him curiously, no doubt hearing parts of his conversation. He grinned, waving a bit and she smiled back, returning to her conversation with Lucy and Erza. "So. Did you?"

Terence looked back at him, brows furrowed, jaw tense. "How did you…?"

"Your smell. And, your other daughter. She looks like Wendy. I'm just guessing, but I take it that's a 'yes'?" He was being surprisingly intelligent, but if it was for Wendy, he do it.

Terence looked back at his friends, swallowing once more. "Fif-fifteen years ago… Bandits attacked our town and burned it to the ground. I was away with Cindy, an adventure in the next town. When we got back…" he looked down, chest heaving as he held in his tears. "My wife was dead. We couldn't find Greta, and we assumed…" He swiped at his eyes.

"If ya don't mind my askin', where are you from?"

"Us? We're from up by the Waas forest."

Yes. Natsu recalled they had acres upon acres of apple trees. That would explain the overwhelming smell of blossoms. And it was some distance from Cait Shelter. It's possible then that Edolas' Jellal unknowingly took her away her village.

"She… she was adopted…?" Natsu felt for him, really he did. Losing a daughter and then finding out she was still alive? After all these years? "She barely looks fourteen…"

"Ah, well, um… she's a mage?" Hopefully he was one of those people who bought into the thought that mages had longer lives(which was true) and retained their youth longer(which was most definitely **NOT** true).

Terence grinned, tears forming. "She's a mage… What kind?" He looked so happy…

"She heals." Terence choked, throwing a hand up over his mouth. "Hey, dude, you alright?"

"M-my wife… she was a doctor…" Ah. That would do it.

"So… Do ya wanna meet her?" Yeah, it'd be a little awkward, and yeah, Erza and Lucy might actually—damn it. He forgot about them.

They were definitely going to kill him.

It was a struggle, but the man shook his head. "I'd love too, you have no idea how much I've missed her, but we…" he shook his head once more and Natsu tilted his head. "Fifteen years is a very long time… I have no place in her life now… She has a family that loves her, she's a m-mage…" This was hard for him.

"Look, Terry, really, she'd love to meet you. Yeah, it's been a long time, but Wendy would understand. Honestly, she would. Knowing she had family out there, I'm sure she'd be ecstatic." Terence smiled, wiping at his face with his sleeve.

"You're a very thoughtful young man. But no, thank you, Natsu. As much as I… as _we_ would love to… I'd hate to ruin things. I'd hate to have her think that we never… I wouldn't want to intrude. Knowing she's still alive, that she can help so many people…" He looked up, watching his long lost daughter smiling so brightly. "Knowing that she's happy means the world to me. But would you do me a favor?"

"Sure?" Natsu crossed his arms.

"Watch out… for her for me, will you? A father who can't protect his daughter is one thing, but not being able to watch over her now that I know where she is…" Natsu flashed back to Cana and Gildarts, the man overjoyed at finally knowing he had a daughter. Their roles were reversed: while Gildarts did all in his power to watch out for Cana, to smother her, Terry here felt he couldn't. He knew he had a daughter, but for her happiness, he would allow her to live without.

He could understand that a little. It probably would be weird for Wendy, come to think of it. Suddenly learning she still had family. Maybe she wouldn't appreciate it. Maybe she would feel she'd been abandoned once again?

That was the absolute last thing he wanted. "Sure thing, Terry. I always protect my family." He grinned, resting a hand on his shoulder. "You ever change your mind, Fairy Tail lives in Magnolia. You won't be able to miss the Guild, but if you get lost, just ask someone and they'll point you there. Alright? I'll even help ya with tellin' Wendy." Terence nodded and Natsu let go, jogging towards his friends. "Hey~!"

"Natsu, you took long enough! Who was that guy?" Lucy peered back at the man, smiling and still watching them.

"Hm? Ah, guy I did a job for once. Terry something… Ah, I dunno." He shot the man a grin, swinging an arm around Wendy's shoulders. The girl looked up at him curiously before blinking back at the stranger some distance away.

Terence jerked, his smile falling briefly before it returned. His daughter joined him, looking up at him and speaking with him. He answered and Cindy looked back at the mages waiting for the train. She stared.

"Ah, that's his daughter, Cindy. She's real nice," Natsu supplied. When the train whistle blew, he immediately sunk, holding tight to Wendy. The girl turned quickly.

"N-natsu-san? Is everything okay? You're already sick? We haven't even gotten on the train yet!"

"D-don't remind me… uuuggghhh…" Erza took over, swinging the boy over a heavily armored shoulder and stepping into the train, the rest of their friends following after her. Wendy paused, looking back at the man. He was still smiling, raising a hand and waving.

"Wendy, come along child!" Carla called from the window.

"C-coming!" She sent one last look to the man and his daughter, smiled brilliantly, and waved back before clambering onto the train to join her friends.

' _Now'_ , Natsu thought blearily, sprawled across the seat and clutching onto his stomach for dear life. _'I gotta find Metalhead's idiot family. Knowing him, they probably kicked him out though.'_

He would have his work cut out for him.


End file.
